w/ Ric Hanson

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No injuries were reported following a single-vehicle accident over the weekend, in Audubon County. Sheriff’s officials say 51-year old Scott Evan Schlater, of Exira, was traveling east on 300th Street at around 3:45-p.m. Saturday, when he looked down for an item, and lost control of the 2008 Chevy he was driving. The vehicle hit a field drive and went airborne before hitting a ditch and landing on the driver’s side. Damage from the crash was estimated at $20,000. Schlater was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

Three people were arrested late last week on drug charges, in Audubon County. The Sheriff’s Department reports 35-year old Shawn Michael Vetterick, and 30-year old Athena Marie Shotwell, both of Audubon, were arrested Thursday evening on charges of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Their arrests were the result of a consent search of their home at 212 2nd Avenue in Audubon. The couple was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later released after posting bond.

And, 23-year old Bethany Nicole Litwiller, of Ft. Dodge, was arrested Friday night on a charge of Possession of Methamphetamine. The arrest and charge came about as the result of a traffic stop on Pheasant Avenue, near 220th Street in Audubon County. Litwiller was brought to the jail and later released after appearing before the magistrate.

Sheriff’s officials said also, 47-year old Richard Alan Jorgensen, of Audubon, was arrested this past Monday evening (Dec. 26th), on an outstanding warrant out of Audubon County, for Aggravated Assault. The charge stems from an investigation into an incident which allegedly took place Dec. 18th. Jorgensen has since posted bond, and was released from custody.

Police in Red Oak arrested 18-year old Christian T. Leming, of Red Oak, early this (Wednesday) morning, on a warrant for Failure to Appear, Drug Possession, and Gathering Where Controlled Substances are used.  Leming, who’s also known as “Lil Chris,” was taken into custody at around 12:25-a.m. in the 100 block of west Coolbaugh Street, and booked into the Montgomery County Jail. His bond was set at $1,000.

Presidential hopeful Ron Paul is shown to be leading or near the top of recent polls in Iowa and three of his Republican rivals took aim Tuesday. Paul has vowed to close five federal agencies and cut a trillion dollars out of the federal budget. During an appearance in Mason City, Rick Santorum suggested Paul is “least likely” among the candidates to get those kind of cuts enacted. “He’s been in congress 20 years and never passed a bill,” Santorum told the crowd in Mason City. “So what would lead you to believe that he could get something that huge done in a town where he’s shown no track record of getting anything done?” During an interview on C-N-N, Newt Gingrich said Paul’s “total record” shows a “systemic avoidance of reality.” Rick Perry also suggested Paul “would allow Iran to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.” During a campaign stop last night in Atlantic, Michele Bachmann bragged about how she “took it to” Paul in the last debate, over the issue of a nuclear Iran, and she promised the crowd she’d do the same to Barack Obama. “I think it’s time that America has a Margaret Thatcher and America has an ‘Iron Lady’ — a woman who’s not afraid of all the men in Washington, D.C. and a woman who’s not afraid to take on all the liberals in Washington, D.C.,” Bachmann said, as some in the crowd started clapping. “I’m not and I will.”

On the other side of the state in Dubuque yesterday, Gingrich told reporters he has “a lot of time” left to convince Caucus-goers they can invest their vote in him despite the questions raised in campaign ads.
“I trust in the people of Iowa to look at something that’s clearly baloney and know that it’s baloney,” Gingrich said. During his speech to the Rotarians, Gingrich suggested Republican rival Mitt Romney and his allies had stepped over some sort of line. “To have somebody who was a Massachusetts moderate, who said he did not want to go back to the Reagan/Bush years…who as recently as when he was running for governor said, ‘I’m really kind of a moderate, pragmatic guy,’ — to have him run a commercial that questions my conservatism?” Gingrich asked rhetorically in Dubuque.

Romney arrived in Iowa late Tuesday. Romney told a crowd in Davenport last night that Barack Obama is a “pessimistic president” who has failed to deliver on his campaign promises and is asking America to “settle for less.” Four of the candidates participated in a radio forum organized by PersonhoodUSA, a group pushing congress to pass a bill declaring that life begins at conception. Rick Perry, who has opposed nearly all abortions, revealed he no longer favors exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Perry recently met with a woman who was conceived in a rape. “Looking in her eyes, I couldn’t come up with an answer to defend the exceptions for rape and incest,” Perry said. Perry met the woman earlier this month when he attended the premiere of a documentary called “The Gift of Life”. “She made a statement to me that was really profound and pierced my heart,” Perry said. Perry has supported abortion ban exceptions in cases of rape and incest, or when the mother’s life is endangered by the pregnancy — until he unveiled during Tuesday night’s telephone town hall meeting with abortion foes that he had undergone a transformation this Christmas season. Organizers said nearly 26-thousand people listened to the event by telephone and it was broadcast nationally on the syndicated “Steve Deace Show” and another radio network.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

Republican Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann made a campaign stop in Atlantic Tuesday evening, to meet with area residents and party faithful at the Pizza Ranch Restaurant.

Bachmann speaks to the crowd

Bachmann, a Congresswoman from Minnesota was running about 35-minutes late when her bus pulled into the parking lot. She spent much of her time talking briefly with those who were enjoying their dinner,  posed for pictures, and signed some campaign literature along with a copy of her book.  Bachman then taped an introduction to a special promotional video for Cass County Republicans, in hopes of getting out the caucus vote.  Afterward, Bachmann went off script to attack President Barack Obama, whom she says “Has brought about Socialism without apologizing for it.”

Bachmann in Atlantic 1

She says that’s something she won’t stand for. Bachmann says for the past five-years, she’s “Been standing up for the Constitution…standing up for smaller government…standing against out of control spending and standing up for life, marriage, national security and ally Israel,” and standing against what she calls “The radical Jihadists who want to defeat the United States and put Shiria Law in the United States.” She says that’s not going to happen when she becomes President.

Ron Paul, a Republican Congressman from Texas, another Presidential hopeful, will be in Atlantic Thursday afternoon for a town hall meeting. Speaking of Ron Paul, Bachmann says she can win the election, as evidenced by the debate in Sioux City, where she says she “Took it to (him) on the issue of Iran gaining a nuclear weapon.” She says that’s the same thing she’ll do to Barack Obama next November. She says in order to do that, we need the strongest conservative in the U-S. She says she can play the role of a “Rock Solid Conservative to take him on, and take his policies on.” Bachman says her record proves she has taken on Obama before, she will do it in the debates, and go on to win the election in 2012.

Bachmann poses with guests at the Pizza Ranch

She says a woman can run a country effectively because they are strong. Bachman pointed to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was known as the “Iron Lady,” as an example. She says it’s time America has its version of an “Iron Lady,” someone who’s “Not afraid of all the men in Washington, D.C., who is not afraid to take on the Liberals in D.C. ”  Bachman says she’s not afraid, and she will take on those challenges.

Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate, Rick Perry, met with voters in Council Bluffs this (Tuesday) morning. Perry told the standing room-only crowd at a downtown restaurant that he’s the only “authentic” conservative in the presidential race. “Why should you have to settle for anything less than the real deal to go to Washington D-C and to represent your values and work for you in Washington. I mean, look, I got all the respect in the world for the front-runners in this race, but ask yourself, if we replace a Democratic insider with a Republican insider, you think we’re really going to change Washington D-C? No way,” Perry said. Perry touted his home state’s efforts to secure its border with Mexico, saying such a model is needed at the national level.

But one state cannot enforce our nation’s entire immigration law, that takes a nationwide effort, and that’s the reason it’s going to take a president who knows there is no such thing as homeland security until there is border security,” according to Perry.  Perry said if elected, he’ll close the border between the U-S and Mexico within one year. He also called for balanced budgets and less government in voters’ lives. Two other G-O-P candidates, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, are also set to visit western Iowa this week. Gingrich will be in Sioux City Thursday. Paul has a town hall meeting planned in Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa)

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer says the Page County Sheriff’s Office “Operation Blessing” was a success this year, thanks to everyone who donated to to the program.  Palmer says without the support of the individuals, organizations, and groups who unselfishly gave to this program it would not be possible.  He added that year after year, people have continued to support this program. From the money donated this year, the Page County Sheriff’s Office provided Christmas gifts to 24 families.  That means 66 children in Page County received presents for Christmas this year from Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program.

Palmer said he wanted to express a sincere THANK YOU from everyone at the Page County Sheriff’s Office for the support shown by citizens in the area who helped to make the program a success.  He also gave a special “shout out” to retired Sheriff Mike Williams, for his continued assistance with this program, which Palmer says is expected to continue, in the years to come.

A former Atlantic resident was arrested Christmas Day on a theft charge. The Atlantic Police Department reports 32-year old Blue Ryan Rutherford, of Ottumwa, was arrested for 5th Degree Theft  (Shoplifting). Rutherford, who has a lengthy history of arrests in Cass County, was booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending a court appearance.